Werken met de iPad in het onderwijs

Er worden verschillende soorten Informatie- en Communicatietechnologie (ICT) gebruikt in het onderwijs. Door het gebruik van ICT in lessen kan de leerprestatie, leersnelheid en motivatie van leerlingen toenemen. Alleen met goed, gericht en gedoseerd gebruik van ICT vindt dit plaats. Eén ICT- middel is de iPad. Om met de iPad te kunnen werken is leerlingenmateriaal nodig, wat op dit moment nog maar door weinig uitgevers aangeboden wordt. Werken met de iPad wil op dit moment dus zeggen dat er zelf materiaal ontwikkeld moet worden, zo ook voor dit onderzoek. Het onderzoek is in twee delen opgebouwd. Het eerste deel betreft het leerlingenmateriaal en het effect dat het heeft op de leerlingen. Het blijkt dat door genoeg afwisseling in de lessen te creëren de motivatie van de leerlingen verbetert. Ze zijn enthousiaster met het vak wiskunde bezig. Uit dit onderzoek kan geen conclusie getrokken over of de prestaties van de leerlingen verbeteren door het werken met de iPad. Het tweede deel van het onderzoek is vooral gericht op docenten. De voor- en nadelen van het werken met de iPad, volgens docenten, komen aan bod. Hieruit blijkt dat docenten wel met de iPad willen werken, maar moeilijkheden zich voordoen, omdat er en geen materiaal beschikbaar is en omdat er vaak geen berekeningen gegeven hoeven te worden bij opdrachten op internet. Daarnaast is het leerlingenmateriaal en de docentenhandleiding door docenten die beschikking hebben over een iPad en door docenten die geen beschikking hebben over een iPad bekeken. Hieruit blijkt dat docenten enthousiast zijn over het leerlingenmateriaal, omdat er veel afwisseling in zit, de leerlingen gestimuleerd worden zelfstandig en samen te werken en omdat het een duidelijke structuur heeft zodat de leerlingen weten wat er van hen verwacht wordt. Er worden verschillende soorten Informatie- en Communicatietechnologie (ICT) gebruikt in het onderwijs. Door het gebruik van ICT in lessen kan de leerprestatie, leersnelheid en motivatie van leerlingen toenemen. Alleen met goed, gericht en gedoseerd gebruik van ICT vindt dit plaats. Eén ICT- middel is de iPad. Om met de iPad te kunnen werken is leerlingenmateriaal nodig, wat op dit moment nog maar door weinig uitgevers aangeboden wordt. Werken met de iPad wil op dit moment dus zeggen dat er zelf materiaal ontwikkeld moet worden, zo ook voor dit onderzoek. Het onderzoek is in twee delen opgebouwd. Het eerste deel betreft het leerlingenmateriaal en het effect dat het heeft op de leerlingen. Het blijkt dat door genoeg afwisseling in de lessen te creëren de motivatie van de leerlingen verbetert. Ze zijn enthousiaster met het vak wiskunde bezig. Uit dit onderzoek kan geen conclusie getrokken over of de prestaties van de leerlingen verbeteren door het werken met de iPad. Het tweede deel van het onderzoek is vooral gericht op docenten. De voor- en nadelen van het werken met de iPad, volgens docenten, komen aan bod. Hieruit blijkt dat docenten wel met de iPad willen werken, maar moeilijkheden zich voordoen, omdat er en geen materiaal beschikbaar is en omdat er vaak geen berekeningen gegeven hoeven te worden bij opdrachten op internet. Daarnaast is het leerlingenmateriaal en de docentenhandleiding door docenten die beschikking hebben over een iPad en door docenten die geen beschikking hebben over een iPad bekeken. Hieruit blijkt dat docenten enthousiast zijn over het leerlingenmateriaal, omdat er veel afwisseling in zit, de leerlingen gestimuleerd worden zelfstandig en samen te werken en omdat het een duidelijke structuur heeft zodat de leerlingen weten wat er van hen verwacht wordt

International Conference: Alternative Histories of Electronic Music, 2016

Video proceedings of the first international conference on ‘Alternative Histories of Electronic Music’ (AHEM2016), held at the Science Museum, London, 14-16 April 2016. The conference programme booklet (PDF), and video recordings of the opening address and closing remarks (MP4), may be downloaded here. Video recordings of the individual talks and keynote addresses delivered at the conference may be accessed via the video proceedings index, also downloadable here. This conference was held as part of the AHRC-funded project ‘Hugh Davies: Electronic Music Innovator’, led by Dr James Mooney (University of Leeds) in partnership with Dr Tim Boon (Science Museum). Project reference: AH/M005216/1

The Ondes Martenot Network in the Twenty-First Century: The Co-Construction of the Ondes Martenot and its Users

The Ondes Martenot has typically been described in academic literature as an obsolete relic of electronic music history. Most sources providing an overview of the history of electronic music or electronic music instruments portray the Ondes Martenot as one of many technical novelties created during the Interbellum’s technology boom, and little more. Invented in the 1920s, the instrument has indeed enjoyed periods of relative success as well as obscurity. Yet, the Ondes Martenot has in recent years gained significant visibility in areas of classical, film and popular music. This thesis delves deeper into the processes behind this uptake, and to do so has explored the history of music instruments through approaches in Science and Technology Studies (STS). After uncovering a social network of users actively involved in securing its future, this thesis applies concepts from the Social Construction of Technology (SCOT) and Actor-Network Theory (ANT) analysing the relationship between the users and the instrument. Interviews with a range of user groups, from players and teachers to makers, repairers and researchers in the two main hubs of activity, Paris and Montreal, provide invaluable qualitative data that informs the bulk of the study. This thesis asserts, firstly, that the Ondes Martenot was never an obsolete instrument, and has entered the twenty-first century as a relatively stable technology. New user groups, technological advancements, the continuing expansion of the repertoire and professional Ondes Martenot teachers continue to strengthen the instrument’s network and secure its survival. Secondly, that an analysis of the Ondes Martenot network demonstrates the co-construction of users and technology. Users are heavily involved in the maintenance of the network, which shapes the instrument, and they are shaped by it in return. And thirdly, that concepts from SCOT and ANT can be combined to analyse the stabilisation of the Ondes Martenot network as it constructs an ever-shifting shared meaning of the instrument

A method to increase the pulsatility in hemodynamic variables in an LVAD supported human circulation system

Left Ventricular Assist Devices (LVADs) generally operate at a constant speed in the human body. This causes a decrease in the pulsatility of hemodynamic variables. To increase the pulsatility a stepwise change was applied to the LVAD operating speed over a cardiac cycle. To do this, a numerical cardiovascular system model and a pump model were used. The model was developed by considering the static characteristics of the MicroMed DeBakey LVAD. First, the simulations were performed at constant operating speeds, 8500 rpm, 9500 rpm and 10500 rpm. Pulsatility indexes were calculated for left ventricular (LV) pressure, aortic pressure, LV volume and LVAD flow. Cardiac output (CO) was calculated at constant operating speed and these values used for comparing the pulsatility indexes with stepwise and constant operating speeds. The LVAD was operated at two different constant speeds in the stepwise operating speed simulations. Low and high operating speeds were adjusted so as to obtain the same cardiac output values with the constant operating speed simulations. The operating speeds in the simulations were 7800-11250 rpm, 9300-11250 rpm and 10300-11250 rpm. The same cardiac output values were obtained with an increase in the pulsatility of the hemodynamic variables without significant changes in their shapes except the LVAD flow. The obtained results show that it is possible to obtain more physiological results by applying a stepwise change to LVAD operating speed over a cardiac cycle

New-Onset Atrial Fibrillation After PCI or CABG for Left Main Disease: The EXCEL Trial

Background: There is limited information on the incidence and prognostic impact of new-onset atrial fibrillation (NOAF) following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) for left main coronary artery disease (LMCAD). Objectives: This study sought to determine the incidence of NOAF following PCI and CABG for LMCAD and its effect on 3-year cardiovascular outcomes. Methods: In the EXCEL (Evaluation of XIENCE Versus Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery for Effectiveness of Left Main Revascularization) trial, 1,905 patients with LMCAD and low or intermediate SYNTAX scores were randomized to PCI with everolimus-eluting stents versus CABG. Outcomes were analyzed according to the development of NOAF during the initial hospitalization following revascularization. Results: Among 1,812 patients without atrial fibrillation on presentation, NOAF developed at a mean of 2.7 ± 2.5 days after revascularization in 162 patients (8.9%), including 161 of 893 (18.0%) CABG-treated patients and 1 of 919 (0.1%) PCI-treated patients (p < 0.0001). Older age, greater body mass index, and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction were independent predictors of NOAF in patients undergoing CABG. Patients with versus without NOAF had a significantly longer duration of hospitalization, were more likely to be discharged on anticoagulant therapy, and had an increased 30-day rate of Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction major or minor bleeding (14.2% vs. 5.5%; p < 0.0001). By multivariable analysis, NOAF after CABG was an independent predictor of 3-year stroke (6.6% vs. 2.4%; adjusted hazard ratio [HR]: 4.19; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.74 to 10.11; p = 0.001), death (11.4% vs. 4.3%; adjusted HR: 3.02; 95% CI: 1.60 to 5.70; p = 0.0006), and the primary composite endpoint of death, MI, or stroke (22.6% vs. 12.8%; adjusted HR: 2.13; 95% CI: 1.39 to 3.25; p = 0.0004). Conclusions: In patients with LMCAD undergoing revascularization in the EXCEL trial, NOAF was common after CABG but extremely rare after PCI. The development of NOAF was strongly associated with subsequent death and stroke in CABG-treated patients. Further studies are warranted to determine whether prophylactic strategies to prevent or treat atrial fibrillation may improve prognosis in patients with LMCAD who are undergoing CABG. (Evaluation of XIENCE Versus Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery for Effectiveness of Left Main Revascularizatio

Efficacies of the new Paclitaxel-eluting Coroflex Please™ Stent in percutaneous coronary intervention; comparison of efficacy between Coroflex Please™ and Taxus™ (ECO-PLEASANT) trial: study rationale and design

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Previous randomized trials have showed the superiority of Paclitaxel-eluting stent over bare metal stent in angiographic and clinical outcomes. Coroflex Please™ stent is a newly developed drug eluting stent using the Coroflex™ stent platform combined with the drug paclitaxel contained in a polymer coating. PECOPS I trial, one-arm observational study, showed that the clinical and angiographic outcomes of Coroflex Please™ stent were within the range of those of Taxus, the 1^stgeneration paclitaxel-eluting stent (PES). However, there have been no studies directly comparing the Coroflex Please™ stent with the Taxus Liberte™ stent that is the newest version of Taxus. Therefore, prospective, randomized trial is required to demonstrate the non-inferiority of Coroflex Please™ stent compared with Taxus Liberte™ stent in a head-to-head manner.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In the comparison of Efficacy between COroflex PLEASe™ ANd Taxus™ stent(ECO-PLEASANT) trial, approximately 900 patients are being prospectively and randomly assigned to the either type of Coroflex Please™ stent and Taxus Liberte™ stent via web-based randomization. The primary endpoint is clinically driven target vessel revascularization at 9 months. The secondary endpoints include major cardiac adverse events, target vessel failure, stent thrombosis and angiographic efficacy endpoints.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>The ECO-PLEASANT trial is the study not yet performed to directly compare the efficacy and safety of the Coroflex Please™ versus Taxus Liberte™ stent. On the basis of this trial, we will be able to find out whether the Coroflex Please™ stent is non-inferior to Taxus Liberte™ stent or not.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00699543.</p

Design, Analysis and Testing of a Novel Mitral Valve for Transcatheter Implantation

Mitral regurgitation is a common mitral valve dysfunction which may lead to heart failure. Because of the rapid aging of the population, conventional surgical repair and replacement of the pathological valve are often unsuitable for about half of symptomatic patients, who are judged high-risk. Transcatheter valve implantation could represent an effective solution. However, currently available aortic valve devices are inapt for the mitral position. This paper presents the design, development and hydrodynamic assessment of a novel bi-leaflet mitral valve suitable for transcatheter implantation. The device consists of two leaflets and a sealing component made from bovine pericardium, supported by a self-expanding wireframe made from superelastic NiTi alloy. A parametric design procedure based on numerical simulations was implemented to identify design parameters providing acceptable stress levels and maximum coaptation area for the leaflets. The wireframe was designed to host the leaflets and was optimised numerically to minimise the stresses for crimping in an 8 mm sheath for percutaneous delivery. Prototypes were built and their hydrodynamic performances were tested on a cardiac pulse duplicator, in compliance with the ISO5840-3:2013 standard. The numerical results and hydrodynamic tests show the feasibility of the device to be adopted as a transcatheter valve implant for treating mitral regurgitation

Algorithmic Versus Expert Human Interpretation of Instantaneous Wave-Free Ratio Coronary Pressure-Wire Pull Back Data

Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate whether algorithmic interpretation (AI) of instantaneous wave-free ratio (iFR) pressure-wire pull back data would be noninferior to expert human interpretation. Background Interpretation of iFR pressure-wire pull back data can be complex and is subjective. Methods Fifteen human experts interpreted 1,008 iFR pull back traces (691 unique, 317 duplicate). For each trace, experts determined the hemodynamic appropriateness for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and, in such cases, the optimal physiological strategy for PCI. The heart team (HT) interpretation was determined by consensus of the individual expert opinions. The same 1,008 pull back traces were also interpreted algorithmically. The coprimary hypotheses of this study were that AI would be noninferior to the interpretation of the median expert human in determining: 1) the hemodynamic appropriateness for PCI; and 2) the physiological strategy for PCI. Results Regarding the hemodynamic appropriateness for PCI, the median expert human demonstrated 89.3% agreement with the HT in comparison with 89.4% for AI (p < 0.01 for noninferiority). Across the 372 cases judged as hemodynamically appropriate for PCI according to the HT, the median expert human demonstrated 88.8% agreement with the HT in comparison with 89.7% for AI (p < 0.0001 for noninferiority). On reproducibility testing, the HT opinion itself changed 1 in 10 times for both the appropriateness for PCI and the physiological PCI strategy. In contrast, AI showed no change. Conclusions AI of iFR pressure-wire pull back data was noninferior to expert human interpretation in determining both the hemodynamic appropriateness for PCI and the optimal physiological strategy for PCI